Life-belt.



No. 731,058. PATENTED JUNE 16, 1903.

I'. W. KERN.

LIFE BELT.

APPLIOATION HLBD Dsc. 4. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

Zirzevflf @www n.: uname vsfcws co. Pnorcpuwo. WASHINGTON. n cv lene-gas-producing apparatus.

NITED I STATES Patented .T une 16, '1903,

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PATENT LIFE-BELT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters' Patent No. 731,058, dated J une 16, 1903.

Application filed December 4, 1902. Serial No. 133,894. (No model.) Y

To all when?, it may concern.-

Be it known that. I, FRIEDRICH WILHELM KERN, a subject ofthe German Emperor, and a resident of Antwerp, Belgium, have invented a certain new and Improved Life-Belt, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is a lifebelt which permits a shipwrecked person furnished with one to instantaneously place it in use and to maintain himself for an indefinite period upon the water.

This apparatus comprises the belt proper provided upon each side of its middle part with a bladder or like animal membrane communicating with an apparatus for producing acetylene gas arranged as a front plate upon the belt and which allows the instantaneous inflation of the two bladders when required.

The drawings show, by way of example, a manner of carrying out this invention.

Figure l is an elevation of the belt opened out. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the acety- Fig. 3 is an inside View of the latter with one of its covers taken off. Fig. 4 is a section on A B of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 6 is a detail. Fig. ,7 is an elevation of the belt with the bladders inflated.

The life-belt'is formed with two bladders a and b, treated with salt, vaseline, glycerin, whale-oil, and tallow. Each of these bladders is placed in a jacket c, made of any suitable tissue, such Vas velvet calieo and the like, and sufficiently large to allow the inflation of the bladder covered by it. The two casings are fixed to the belt proper, d, furnished at one end with a buckle e and at the other with holes f, thus permitting the belt to be easily adapted to the-body. Between the two bladders upon the belt is left a free space, upon which is attached, by means of two hooks g h, the acetylene-gas-producing apparatus t, to which these two hooks are attached. Each bladder is connected in a tight manner to one of the two tubes n, and 0 of the gas apparatus. The latter comprises a small box, of copper or other appropriate metal, divided into two tight compartmentsj le by a partition Z. A tube m passes through the partition t and opens into the compartments j and leads out of the box, where it is provided with 'a small shoulder and is screwthreaded upon its outer side. This tube is brazed to the partition Z and is provided with two ports p, the object whereof will be hereinafter described. Outside the box it is plugged up by a screw-cap q with the insertion of a small ring r. This plug q is provided axially with a hole, through which passes the spindle s of a small piston sliding inside the tube mv and which normally closes the ports of the latter. This piston is held in place by means of a strip ot' tissuepaper folded several times and passing through an eyeletI u upon the end of the spindle s and tightened by screwing up the screwed plug q. The compartment jis intended to contain water. It-is provided with a hole for the entry thereof and which is closed by a screwed plug V. l

The compartment le constitutes the generator and contains carbid of calcium, whichl is introduced therein by an opening made in the front cover of the compartment and normally closed by a plate y, fixed by means of screws w.

The person provided with a belt of this description can wear it at times when wrecks are most liable to occur, such as in foggy or stormy weather.

When a disaster takes place, it is necessary to tear the strip 1^ of tissue-paper by pulling the string Q. The piston uncovers the ports p, and the water in the compartmentj passes through the windows into the compartment lo, wherein 'it attacks the carbid'. y

Instantly a quantity of gas sufficient to iniiate the two bladders is disengaged This gas passes through the tubes n and o into the said bladders. The bladders inflated in the described manner support the wearer in a perfect manner above the water.

If the wearer jumps into the water without pulling the string q, the freeing of the piston is performed automatically in the following manner: The com partmentj contains besides water a coiled spring t, bearing upon one hand against the plug V and on the other against the piston 1.

As it has already been said, the piston-spindle s is normally maintained by the strip of tissue-paper arranged in the cap q.v The wearer being immersed to the waist, in water the tissue-paper will be dissolved, and the IOO suflicienttodetach them. The casingol tissue'.

is generally when not in use also folded upon the belt and is held thereupon by means of a very thin india-rubber band, which tears im-y mediately inflation takes place.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters K Patent, is-

In a device of the character described the combination with a belt of a pair of inflatable bodies secured to said belt, means connected With said bodies for inating the same, comprising a casing having two outlets therein, a partition forming compartments therein', one of said compartments adapted to contain a gas-evolving medium, a tube, having, ports therein, connecting said compartments, a piston therein adapted to normally close said ports, the other of said compartments holding a liquid adapted upon admission to the first-named compartment to produce the gas for ination of the bodies and means for opening the said ports to permit said liquid to enter the gas-producing compartment when the device is to be used,sub stantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two Witnesses.

FRIEDRICH WILHELM KERN.

Witnesses:

GREGORY PHELAN, K. WILLIAMS. 

